Reviews with content warning for Addiction - Crossed

Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Crossed by Emily McIntire

10 reviews

smashbourne_'s review against another edition

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dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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readyforit's review against another edition

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dark hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

4⭐️3🌶️
This book is a hunchback of notre dame retelling, set in a modern-day small Parisian-esque town in Vermont. Amaya grew up with a narcissistic mother, who moved them around a lot and exposed her to her abusive boyfriends. When Amaya was older her mother became jealous of her looks, accusing her of trying to steal her boyfriend, Parker, who calls himself the king of Festivalé. They fight, and her mother abandons a then 19yo Amaya with her baby brother, Quentin. The story takes place 5 years later, with festivalé in ruin and father Cade is hired to come clean up the town and instill the sense of god back into it. He has unusual methods though, and tries to find the worst sinners and kill them, rationalizing that god will forgive him. To the public he’s just the hot, charming, mysterious new priest. He meets Amaya at the strip club where she dances as Esmeralda and is convinced she really is the witch the townspeople say she is. He formulates a plan to off her for her temptation, but he still finds himself drawn to her. Meanwhile Parker has been blackmailing her, saying her mother left behind debts that is now Amaya’s problem.

This book has decent disability/neurodivergent representation in quinten, who is autistic. However, he kind of plays the “hunchback” character and if you know the story and will be triggered by bullying, maybe skip this one. Otherwise, I think Amaya is a great caretaker, most of the time. I would also suggest skipping if you have religious trauma, as cade had a rough childhood, growing up in an orphanage with abusive nuns.

This book touches on forbidden romance, religious taboo, temptation, obsession, possession, and vacillating moral compasses. Cade starts out morally black (although he wouldn’t call it that), using religion to purge evil as he saw fit. Then his obsession with Amaya was the only thing that drove him. Amaya has no shame or guilt about being an exotic dancer. She knows she’s not the witch everyone calls her. But as she spends more time with Cade, she slips into the darkness that surrounds him too. I would say this book is probably the darkest in the series. There are plenty of light moments with Quentin, but there is so much darkness and guilt when you read Cade’s pov. I really love Amaya’s character but Cade was not my favorite love interest we’ve had in this series for that reason. I wish he could’ve had some more fun or flirtation, but if you enjoy true obsession, you’ll like him. He is the type of MMC who will kill anyone who wrongs Amaya, and clean up her messes too. In the end, his only goal is to take care of her and quin. It’s more of a bittersweet ending than a true HEA. The extended epilogue that is available through the author’s website was also bittersweet and a nice wrap up for how Amaya, Cade, and quin moved forward.

This book is also less spicy than the others since it’s about a forbidden romance. It’s pretty descriptive but there aren’t a lot of scenes, and the scenes aren’t long. If you prefer tension to spice you’ll be happy.

I listened along to the audiobook while reading and I think that is the superior way to read this series because all of these men have accents that you don’t get otherwise. Cade’s narrator does a great job with his French accent! I also loved that Amaya had a deeper voice, as it fit her character. The audiobook didn’t have any discrepancies to the ebook like with the first 3 books in the series. I liked the book overall and it had some crazy plot twists I had no idea were coming! I may reread in the future, a few years from now if I forget the plot.

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mysticalbluebirdreads's review against another edition

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dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A little slow for my liking but still darkly beautiful

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toxxicwasste's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

THE ENDING. especially the extended epilogue.

SPOILERS
the trauma of religion is so real. The sex work is so real. The abusive relationships are so real. The ableism is so real. The ending made me choke up a little.

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shazza124's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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corruptednatz's review against another edition

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dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Priests shouldn’t be hot (I repeat 5x over) but this one was!! The story was nitty gritty and depressing. I really felt the main character struggle. Taking care of her neurodivergent brother and her disabled best friend on a strippers salary is very realistic. Then Cade the hot murderous priest who became obsessed with the main character was the icing on the cake.

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